2.6.08

Well, well, well. Seems CBS News has decided to take on the PR profession. Or rather, take off on it. Andrew Cohen has decided to lump every single PR practitioner into the unethical category. Now, that's a shame. Here's my response to his opinion:

With regard to L'Affair Cohen, if he wanted to take a swipe at the PR profession, he shouldn't have led with a journalistic hook beginning with Scott McClellan. Say what you want to say, Mr. Cohen, but don''t hide behind the pants of a newly-released author.

I very much adhere to an ethical PR practice and believe that most of my peers do also. Mr. Cohen, if you look at any profession, you're going to find those that do not live up to the professions' standards. But to roundly accuse an entire profession of not having standards or of manipulating them is irresponsible. So, perhaps, Mr. Cohen, you''re in the same percentage as Mr. McClellan with regard to your profession?

I believe the PRSA has undertaken the best course of action in publishing a code of ethics. And I also believe that at any moment in time, there will be individuals who fail to follow those ethics. But to ascribe one person's failure to an entire profession is simply irresponsible.